Armagh star Niall Grimley admitted it could take months or even years to adjust to the GAA’s new rules after the All-Ireland champions got their first taste of the new setup in a charity game.
The Orchard County will begin their National league campaign against Galway next month in a repeat of this year’s All-Ireland final, and while the sides will be familiar with each other, both will be adjusting to life under the Football Review Committee’s slew of changes to Gaelic football.
After Special Congress saw all motions pass with huge majorities last month, teams are now preparing for novelties such as the two-point arc, the ‘solo and go’ rule and a number of other modifications aimed at radically improving the game as a spectacle.
Armagh got a sampling of what is to come as they fielded two 15s under the new rules for the “Crimbo Cracker” charity game, organised by The Road Ahead Group to spread awareness around careful driving ahead of the festive season.
Afterwards, Grimley reflected on the feel of the game and stressed that match practise would be the key to adapting.
‘The more you practise, the more games, and obviously that was our first official game, although in training and stuff we have been applying the new rules,’ he told Armagh TV. ‘You can’t beat match practise, it’s up and down, it’s tough.
Armagh TV caught up with @maddenraparees and Armagh Senior Footballer, Niall Grimley after the 'Crimbo Cracker' event to tell us more about our charity partner, The Road Ahead Group and his take on the new rules.
— Armagh_GAA (@Armagh_GAA) December 16, 2024
Includes some highlights from the game. pic.twitter.com/QAoLXhxaCB
‘You need to be fit, and if you’re going on the attack with 10 or 11 players, you want to be coming away with something because there is nothing more demoralising than when you hit a silly shot, or you force something, and then you’re back up defending.
‘Look, everyone is going to have to get used to them, it takes time, it could take months, it could take years, but we will be doing everything we can to apply ourselves fully and adapt to them.
‘I think I forced a silly two-point shot, it went wide, but that’s the reward, if you have men on your team who can take them big scores, like you have seen Ethan Rafferty, big Shane McPartland hit a free and got his two points for it – so if you’re someone who is stepping up and has that skill and that accuracy to put the ball over, then fair play to them, they deserve their two points.’